1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general, relates to truck bodies and, more particularly, to pickup truck beds.
Replacement and factory new pickup truck beds are known. However most beds provide either a "flat bed" type of a bed for placing large items thereupon or a recessed type of a pickup box for holding cargo items therein.
It is at times necessary for pickup truck operators to transport cargo items that will fit inside of any given pickup truck box and again at other times to transport items too large to fit into a pickup box. Accordingly for such kinds of cargo items, a flat bed is necessary.
Certain larger cargo items occasionally tend to be quite heavy. For example when a pickup truck is used to transport a vehicle, it will of course require that the bed be large enough to accommodate the vehicle. Therefore a flat bed type of a truck bed is preferred for this purpose.
Furthermore, all of the weight of the vehicle that is being carried by a flat bed is transmitted to the load bearing surface by the wheels and they are disposed on the outside perimeter of the vehicle (on both sides thereof). Accordingly, the flat bed must be capable of bearing great weight at the outer sides.
Known types of prior replacement truck beds may appear, at first appearance, to accomplish the objects as set forth by the present disclosure, yet they fail to provide a truck bed that provides both the benefits of a pickup box as well as the benefits of a flat bed type of a pickup bed that is suitable for bearing great weight at the outside portions thereof.
Accordingly there exists today a need for a pickup bed that provides both a box having a lower plane useful for containing and supporting smaller items therein and a pair of outer elevated planes that are adapted for receiving and supporting heavier cargo items thereon.
2. Description of Prior Art
Replacement pickup truck beds are, in general, known. For example, the "KARRY-ALL" line of bodies as manufactured by the "Knapheide" company represent the closest known prior art. However no truck bodies having the structure and providing the benefits of the present disclosure are known.
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the known prior devices.